Clay weekly context brief for the Law category (ISO week 2026-W33). Clay tracks publications from the Law feed list. Below are recent items from this category, each with its source and a short description of what the publication covers when one is available in the source feed. Recent publications: 1. Some Tentatively Final Thoughts on Substack Source: Volokh Conspiracy Link: https://reason.com/volokh/2026/08/09/some-tentatively-final-thoughts-on-substack/ I appreciate the emails I received from my two posts on starting a Substack. 2. The Trial That Made The Supreme Court Untouchable Source: Above the Law Link: https://abovethelaw.com/2026/08/the-trial-that-made-the-supreme-court-untouchable/ One impeachment, one acquittal, and a firewall that's held ever since. The post The Trial That Made The Supreme Court Untouchable appeared first on Above the Law . 3. The U.S Supreme Court is seen on June 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. Source: SCOTUSblog Link: https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/08/trump-signs-new-birthright-citizenship-order-ballroom-dispute-likely-headed-to-supreme-court/ (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) 4. Challenging Toxic Air Exemptions and a Pattern of Executive Overreach on Regulatory Rollbacks Source: Just Security Link: https://www.justsecurity.org/151435/toxic-air-exemptions-executive-overreach/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=toxic-air-exemptions-executive-overreach Together, the Trump administrations vision of the Clean Air Acts exemption authority and shutting courts out from review is one of completely unchecked presidential power. 5. Food prices edged up in July amid heatwaves and energy price hikes Source: UN Human Rights - News Link: https://news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2026/08/1168096 The cost of key foods edged up last month as searing heatwaves and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty impacted energy prices around the world. 6. Panel ready for Ukrainian bank's second treaty claim against Russia Source: Global Arbitration Review Link: https://globalarbitrationreview.com/article/panel-ready-ukrainian-banks-second-treaty-claim-against-russia Costa Rican arbitrator Dyalá Jiménez is presiding over the tribunal that will hear a new investment treaty arbitration brought by Ukrainian state-owned bank Oschadbank against Russia over its actions in Ukraine, as Russia continues its effort to revise a US$1 billion award won by the bank in an earlier case. 7. World Trade and Tech Day to explore policies to make AI work for inclusive trade Source: World Trade Organization Link: https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news26_e/dtech_03aug26_471_e.htm The WTO will host the first World Trade and Tech Day on 14 September at its headquarters in Geneva, bringing together trade and information and communications technology (ICT) policymakers, industry leaders and other stakeholders to discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) strategies can better support economies' efforts to maximize the gains of international trade. 8. Returning Afghans face growing risk of trafficking as crises deepen Source: UN Human Rights - Law and Crime Prevention Link: https://news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2026/07/1168051 Afghans returning from neighbouring countries are facing growing risks of human trafficking and exploitation as overlapping humanitarian and economic crises leave many struggling to survive, the UN warned on Thursday. 9. WIPO 2026 Global Awards Winners: Eleven Companies Recognized for Using IP to Build and Scale Their Businesses Source: WIPO Pressroom Link: https://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2026/article_0010.html The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) today announced the 11 winners of the WIPO Global Award 2026, celebrating companies that demonstrated excellence in using intellectual property (IP) to bring to market products including drugs to regenerate lung tissue, semiconductors that cut energy loss, AI-guided crop spraying devices and helmet sensors promoting athletes brain health. 10. Today in Supreme Court History: August 9, 1974 Source: Volokh Conspiracy Link: https://reason.com/volokh/2026/08/09/today-in-supreme-court-history-august-9-1974-6/ 8/9/1974: President Richard Nixon resigns from office, President Gerald Ford takes oath of office. The post Today in Supreme Court History: August 9, 1974 appeared first on Reason.com . 11. The Three Pillars Of Business Development For Lawyers Source: Above the Law Link: https://abovethelaw.com/2026/08/legal-marketing-and-business-development-what-lawyers-need-to-know-to-grow-a-practice-2/ How to go from random acts of marketing to a real strategy, in this episode of the 'Be That Lawyer' podcast. The post The Three Pillars Of Business Development For Lawyers appeared first on Above the Law . 12. This general view shows part of the exterior of the Supreme Court of Japan, the country's highest court, in the Chiyoda Ward area of downtown Tokyo on July 11, 2023. Source: SCOTUSblog Link: https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/08/the-supreme-court-of-japan/ (Richard A. Brooks/AFP via Getty Images) 13. Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions Source: Just Security Link: https://www.justsecurity.org/107087/tracker-litigation-legal-challenges-trump-administration/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tracker-litigation-legal-challenges-trump-administration A public resource tracking all the legal challenges to the Trump administration's executive orders and actions. The post Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions appeared first on Just Security . 14. Ebola in DR Congo: Childhood deaths rise; hopes raised over new vaccine Source: UN Human Rights - News Link: https://news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2026/08/1168100 More than 300 children have died in the Ebola outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the UN said on Friday, as health experts urged trials of the only vaccine against the disease to halt further spread of the rare Bundibugyo species. 15. Power plant investor seeks interim relief over Chinese extradition request Source: Global Arbitration Review Link: https://globalarbitrationreview.com/article/power-plant-investor-seeks-interim-relief-over-chinese-extradition-request A Singapore company pursuing an ICSID claim against Panama worth more than US$1 billion has requested interim relief over an attempt by China to extradite its controlling shareholder. 16. Global goods trade resilient in the first quarter of 2026 despite war in Middle East Source: World Trade Organization Link: https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news26_e/rese_31jul26_469_e.htm World merchandise trade growth exceeded expectations in the first quarter of 2026 as surging trade in electronic components related to artificial intelligence (AI) offset the negative impact of the conflict in the Middle East, which began in the final month of the quarter. 17. Forced online scams: IOM warns trafficking networks are booming Source: UN Human Rights - Law and Crime Prevention Link: https://news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2026/07/1168038 A job advert can hide a criminal network, and a single click can lead to a nightmare. Hundreds of thousands of people are trafficked every year on the promise of legitimate work abroad, only to be held captive and forced into online scam operations. 18. Intangible Investment Tops USD 10 Trillion for the First Time, Growing More Than Three Times Faster Than Tangible Investment Source: WIPO Pressroom Link: https://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2026/article_0011.html Investment in intangible assets crossed the USD 10 trillion mark for the first time in 2025, with the United States alone accounting for nearly half of the total, as investments in software, data, brands and other intellectual property-backed assets rose even as spending on machinery and buildings lagged under tight financing conditions and economic uncertainty. 19. Open Thread Source: Volokh Conspiracy Link: https://reason.com/volokh/2026/08/09/open-thread-291/ The post Open Thread appeared first on Reason.com . 20. Judges Should Not Make Lawyers Handwrite Orders After Oral Argument Source: Above the Law Link: https://abovethelaw.com/2026/08/judges-should-not-make-lawyers-handwrite-orders-after-oral-argument/ Lawyers may disagree about what the judge actually decided. The post Judges Should Not Make Lawyers Handwrite Orders After Oral Argument appeared first on Above the Law . 21. Supreme Court Building in June 2026 Source: SCOTUSblog Link: https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/08/pete-buttigieg-the-supreme-court-and-the-fourth-amendment/ (Nora Collins) 22. Early Edition: August 7, 2026 Source: Just Security Link: https://www.justsecurity.org/152340/early-edition-august-7-2026/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=early-edition-august-7-2026 Sign up to receive the Early Edition in your inboxhere. 23. Peacock party takes pride of place in nod to decades of turbulent history Source: UN Human Rights - News Link: https://news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2026/08/1168099 In a new twist on panda diplomacy, UN Geneva welcomed five young peacocks to the Palace of Nations on Friday, a gift of India that preserves a tradition of keeping the stately birds in the grounds, that predates both the global body and its ill-fated predecessor, the League of Nations. 24. US insurer wins billion-dollar award against Venezuela Source: Global Arbitration Review Link: https://globalarbitrationreview.com/article/us-insurer-wins-billion-dollar-award-against-venezuela An UNCITRAL tribunal has ordered Venezuela to pay more than US$1.5 billion to Boston-based insurer Liberty Mutual for violating a free transfer of funds provision in an investment treaty through foreign exchange restrictions. 25. Brazil initiates dispute regarding additional duties imposed by the United States Source: World Trade Organization Link: https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news26_e/ds646rfc_30jul26_468_e.htm Brazil has requested WTO dispute consultations with the United States regarding additional US duties on products originating in Brazil as a result of two investigations by the United States under Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974. 26. International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan dismissed Source: UN Human Rights - Law and Crime Prevention Link: https://news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2026/07/1168025 Member States of the International Criminal Court dismissed its Prosecutor Karim Khan following disciplinary proceedings related to widely reported sexual misconduct allegations at an emergency session at UN Headquarters in New York on Friday. Sources in this brief: Above the Law; Global Arbitration Review; Just Security; SCOTUSblog; UN Human Rights - Law and Crime Prevention; UN Human Rights - News; Volokh Conspiracy; WIPO Pressroom; World Trade Organization. Selected 26 of 202 available items for this weekly brief.